Emollient-treated absorbent interlabial device

Abstract

Absorbent devices, and more particularly absorbent devices that are worn interlabially by female wearers for catamenial purposes, incontinence protection, or both, that have a emollient composition on their body-contacting surface are disclosed. The interlabial device has a body-contacting surface that is pre-moistened or pre-treated with an emollient to prevent drying of the wearer's labial tissue and to reduce friction of the structure against the wearer's labial tissue. The absorbent device is preferably capable of maintaining contact with the inside surfaces of the wearer's labia majora when worn. The emollient composition comprises a plastic or fluid emollient such as mineral oil, petrolatum and/or polysiloxane, an immobilizing agent such as a fatty alcohol or wax to immobilize the emollient on the body-contacting surface of the device, and optionally a hydrophilic surfactant to improve wettability of the coated surface. Because the emollient is substantially immobilized on the surface of the absorbent device, less emollient is required to impart the desired therapeutic or protective emollient coating benefits.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An absorbent interlabial device for wearing in the interlabial space of a female wearer, said interlabial device having a body-contacting surface at least a portion of which is capable of maintaining contact with the inside surfaces of the wearer's labia when the absorbent device is worn, and an absorbent portion, wherein at least a portion of said body-contacting surface comprises an emollient composition, said emollient composition comprising a substantially water-free emollient, said emollient composition being free of hydrocarbon components having a molecular weight greater than or equal to 1,500, wherein at least a portion of said emollient composition remains on said body-contacting surface without being absorbed into said interlabial device.  
     
     
         2 . The absorbent device of  claim 1  wherein said emollient begins to soften at or below human body temperature.  
     
     
         3 . The absorbent interlabial device of  claim 1  wherein said emollient has a plastic or liquid consistency at 20° C.  
     
     
         4 . An absorbent interlabial device for wearing in the interlabial space of a female wearer said interlabial device having a body-contacting surface at least a portion of which is capable of maintaining contact with the inside surfaces of the wearer's labia when said device is worn, and an absorbent portion, wherein at least a portion of said body-contacting surface comprises an emollient composition which is liquid, semisolid, or solid at 20° C., wherein said emollient composition comprises a substantially water free emollient having a plastic or liquid consistency at 20° C. and comprising a member selected from the group consisting of petroleum-based emollients, fatty acid ester emollients, alkyl ethoxylate emollients, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The absorbent device of  claim 4  wherein said emollient contains about 5% or less water and comprises a petroleum based emollient selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, petrolatum, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The absorbent device of  claim 4  wherein said emollient composition comprises: 
 (i) from about 10 to about 95% of a substantially water free emollient having a plastic or liquid consistency at 20° C. and comprising a member selected from the group consisting of petroleum-based emollients, fatty acid ester emollients, alkyl ethoxylate emollients, and mixtures thereof, and  
 (ii) from about 5 to about 90% of an agent capable of immobilizing said emollient on said body-contacting surface, said immobilizing agent having a melting point of at least about 35° C.  
 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent device of  claim 6  wherein said emollient contains about 5% or less water and comprises a petroleum based emollient selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, petrolatum, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The absorbent device of  claim 7  wherein said emollient is petrolatum.  
     
     
         9 . The absorbent device of  claim 7  wherein said emollient is mineral oil.  
     
     
         10 . The absorbent device of  claim 6  wherein said immobilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of polyhydroxy fatty acid esters, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, C 14 -C 22  fatty alcohols, C 12 -C 22  fatty acids, C 12 -C 22  fatty alcohol ethoxylates, waxes, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The absorbent device of  claim 4  wherein the quantity of emollient composition on said body contacting portion of said absorbent device ranges from about 0.1 mg/cm 2  to about 30 mg/cm 2 .  
     
     
         12 . The absorbent device of  claim 11  wherein the quantity of emollient composition on said body contacting portion of said absorbent device ranges from about 1 mg/cm 2  to 15 mg/cm 2 .  
     
     
         13 . The absorbent device of  claim 6  wherein said emollient composition comprises from about 5 to about 50% of said immobilizing agent, said immobilizing agent having a melting point of at least about 40° C.  
     
     
         14 . The absorbent device of  claim 13  wherein said immobilizing agent comprises a C 14 -C 22  fatty alcohol.  
     
     
         15 . The absorbent device of  claim 14  wherein said immobilizing agent comprises a C 16 -C 18  fatty alcohol selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The absorbent device of  claim 6  wherein said immobilizing agent comprises a paraffin or microcrystalline wax.  
     
     
         17 . The absorbent device of  claim 4  wherein said emollient composition further comprises from about 1 to about 50% of a hydrophilic surfactant, said hydrophilic surfactant having an HLB value of at least about 4.  
     
     
         18 . The absorbent device of  claim 6  wherein said emollient composition further comprises from about 1 to about 50% of a hydrophilic surfactant, said hydrophilic surfactant having an HLB value of at least about 4.  
     
     
         19 . The absorbent device of  claim 18  wherein said emollient composition further comprises from about 1 to about 25% of said hydrophilic surfactant, said hydrophilic surfactant being nonionic and having an HLB value of from about 4 to about 20.  
     
     
         20 . The absorbent device of  claim 19  wherein said hydrophilic surfactant comprises an ethoxylated alcohol having an alkyl chain of from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms and having an average degree of ethoxylation ranging from about 1 to about 54.  
     
     
         21 . The absorbent device of  claim 20  wherein said ethoxylated alcohol has an alkyl chain of from about 11 to about 22 carbon atoms and having an average degree of ethoxylation ranging from about 2 to about 30.  
     
     
         22 . An absorbent interlabial device insertable into the interlabial space of a female wearer said interlabial device having a body-contacting surface at least a portion of which is capable of maintaining contact with the inside surfaces of the wearer's labia when the device is worn, said interlabial device comprising: 
 a main absorbent portion comprising an upper portion comprising part of said body-contacting surface and a lower portion, said upper portion facing toward the vestibule floor of said wearer during insertion into said interlabial space and leading said lower portion during insertion therein, said lower portion being opposed to said upper portion and upon insertion of said absorbent device into said interlabial space said lower portion facing away from the floor of the vestibule of said wearer; and    a pair of flexible extensions joined to said upper portion of said main absorbent portion and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom, said flexible extensions comprising part of said body-contacting surface, wherein at least a portion of said body-contacting surface comprises an effective amount of a emollient composition which is semi-solid or solid at 20° C. and which is partially transferable to the wearer's skin, said emollient composition comprising a substantially water free emollient having a plastic or liquid consistency at 20° C. and comprising a member selected from the group consisting of petroleum-based emollients, fatty acid ester emollients, alkyl ethoxylate emollients, and mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         23 . The absorbent device of  claim 22  wherein said portion of said body-contacting surface that comprises said emollient composition is said upper portion of said main absorbent portion.  
     
     
         24 . The absorbent device of  claim 22  wherein said portion of said body-contacting surface that comprises said flexible extensions is said upper portion of said main absorbent portion.  
     
     
         25 . The absorbent device of  claim 22  wherein both said upper portion of said main absorbent portion and said flexible extensions comprise said emollient composition.  
     
     
         26 . An absorbent interlabial device which fits at least partially within a female wearer's labial vestibule, said interlabial device having a body-contacting surface, wherein at least a portion of said absorbent device is capable of maintaining contact with the inside surfaces of the wearer's labia when said device is worn, and an absorbent portion, wherein at least a portion of said body-contacting surface comprises an effective amount of a emollient composition which is semi-solid or solid at 20° C., said emollient composition comprising a substantially water free emollient having a plastic or liquid consistency at 20° C. and comprising a member selected from the group consisting of petroleum-based emollients, fatty acid ester emollients, alkyl ethoxylate emollients, and said absorbent interlabial device has a capacity of greater than or equal to about 2.5 grams of saline when said device is measured under 0.25 psi of pressure.  
     
     
         27 . The absorbent device of  claim 26  having a capacity greater than or equal to about 4.0 grams of saline.  
     
     
         28 . The absorbent device of  claim 27  further comprising a non-ionic surfactant thereon.  
     
     
         29 . An absorbent interlabial device according to  claim 1  that is sufficiently flushable that it completely clears the bowl under the Flushability Test at least about 70% of the time in two or fewer flushes.  
     
     
         30 . An absorbent interlabial device according to  claim 1  that is sufficiently flushable that it completely clears the bowl under the Flushability Test at least about 95% of the time in one flush.  
     
     
         31 . An absorbent interlabial device according to  claim 1  which disperses into at least two fragments as measured by the Water Dispersion Test in less than or equal to about one hour.  
     
     
         32 . An absorbent interlabial device according to  claim 1  wherein said emollient coating comprises a multi-component emollient composition having at least one component with a peak heat absorption of less than 37° C.